


Domesticity

by splendid_splendont



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Domestic Fluff, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Protective Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Steve is a journalist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-05
Updated: 2018-07-05
Packaged: 2019-06-05 15:35:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15173822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/splendid_splendont/pseuds/splendid_splendont
Summary: Steve comes home after yet another fight and Bucky is there to patch him up.





	Domesticity

 

Steve storms into the apartment like a pint-sized wrecking ball and Bucky doesn’t look up from the paper. “Who did you smart off to this time?”

 

That earns him a smack upside the head. Bucky hears the bathroom door slam and sighs. It would be nice for once if they could go a week without Steve getting his britches beat or at least having Bucky nearby when he decides to try fighting guys double his size.

 

That isn’t really how things work in Brookyln though. Here, in their tiny apartment Bucky work 5 nights a week down by the docks and Steve is trying to be a journalist. They don’t have time to scuff around the streets like they used to and they definitely don’t talk about the stupid daydream they built up as kids about running off to a small town where nobody asked too many questions. 

 

Bucky gives Steve another 2 minutes before he’s rapping on the door. “C'mon, Stevie. Let’s see the damage.”

 

“It’s not that bad” Steve’s reply is muffled but that doesn’t stop Bucky from scoffing in disbelief.

 

“Yeah and I’m going to be the next president. Open the door, champ.” There’s a lot of grumbling on the other side, probably Steve complaining about what a nagging best friend he got stuck with but the door swings open finally and there he is with a busted lip and a dark bruise across his ribs.

 

“It looks worse than it feels.” Steve doesn’t look him in the eyes when he says it and they both know he is lying. Bucky drags him into the kitchen and wraps a towel around the ice cream he put in the freezer before pressing it into Steve’s hands.

 

“Sit down for a while. You’re making me jittery.” Bucky manages to wrangle his friend into one of the kitchen chairs and Steve looks like a kid again hunched over their kitchen table sporting the colors from the losing team. Bucky holds his chin still as he pours a sip of alcohol over Steve cut lip and Steve hisses.

 

“I could have just drank it you know.” Steve huffs. There is not bite to his words anymore and he’s got the makeshift ice pack pressed firmly again his purple skin. “I had to say something.”

 

And there it is. Bucky knew he would spill exactly what happened if he gave Steve half a chance. He shakes his head and doesn’t say a word, just waiting to hear the reason for the incident.

 

“This guy was following girls into the restroom.” Steve’s voice is hard as nails and Bucky doesn’t blame him. “I tried just asking him to quit, but you know guys like that big tough guy thinks he can do whatever he likes.”

 

“Yeah, I know the type.”

 

“So I socked him in the nose.” Bucky barks out a laugh and Steve smiles at him just a little. “I don’t figure he liked that very much.”

 

Bucky rolls his eyes. That would be an understatement. The guy would have probably happily beat Steve black and blue for trying if he didn’t have so many girls at the paper looking out for him. “At least you came home conscious this time.”

 

Steve groans. He stomps out of the kitchen and calls over his shoulder as he leaves, “That was one time, Buck!”

 

“The worst time.” Bucky mutters to himself so low Steve won’t catch it from the other room. He takes the meager ingredients from the fridge and starts on supper without another word. There is stew bubbling hot and spicy when Steve trips back into the kitchen.

 

“Need some help?” He cleaned himself up a bit and he’s wearing a shirt Bucky is certain must be his by the way it hangs off his shoulders. Steve shuffles around him to set the table and bumps Bucky on the hip enough to make him stumble just a bit.

 

“Punk.”

 

“There’s no need for name calling, jerk.” Steve grins with his teeth gleaming in the light. Bucky swears under his breath and tries to pretend that doesn’t make his heartbeat quicken. He scoops two servings into the chipped green bowls that belong to Mrs. Rogers once upon a time and sits down.

 

If Steve’s bowl has a bit more stew in it, that’s probably just an accident. Steve eats like he’s still a teenager but at least he’s filled out some. Bucky thinks it’s probably the stable job and someone making sure he eats at least twice a day.

 

“We should go see a film tomorrow.” Steve says once he’s practically licked his bowl clean. He nibbles on a slice of bread and gives Bucky time to answer.

 

“If you want to get handys in the dark with a broad there are easier ways, Stevie.” Bucky quips back. Steve’s blush reaches all the way to his ears and he stutters indignantly before managing to reply.

 

“I meant just us.” Steve grouches. “And don’t think we’re all trying to get under some skirt, James.” He says Bucky’s first name like a curse word and Bucky laughs.

 

Steve insists on cleaning up the kitchen and Bucky takes his cue to listen to the last of the Dogers game in the living room. It’s dark outside by the time the broadcast is finished and Steve is sore that their team lost by 1 homerun.

 

They get ready for bed in tandem and Bucky wanders out on the fire escape. The night is muggy and quiet for once. He’s pretty sure he can almost see a few stars when Steve slips out beside him. Sketchpad in hand he angles himself to catch the best of the street light and his pencil moves across the paper smooth as butter.

 

“You ever think about leaving?” The question catches Bucky off guard and he stares at Steve for a minute.

 

“Not really. Brooklyn is a pretty big city.” He doesn’t mention that he’s never really been crazy about the city, not after he got old enough to see how bad it got. Bucky doesn’t say that he hates his job and that with his sister gone that there is no reason he really has to stay.

 

“I think about it sometimes.” Steve murmurs into the still night. “About that little town we used to pretend we were going to move to.” His hand stops moving on the paper and Bucky can’t help looking at him. The dim glow of the streetlight behind him makes Steve look almost other worldly and Bucky forgets how to breathe.

 

“It’s getting cold, we should go in.” Steve hmms in agreement and Bucky waits till he crawls back inside to follow and shut the window. The quiet is deafening as they lay in their beds. Bucky lists all the reasons he can’t say a word in his head like a thousand bullet points.

 

Steve is unusually silent. Bucky wants to ask what’s the matter but he can’t force the words out. He is almost asleep when he catches the sniffling. Just one he could write off, but that it happens again and Bucky is running to Steve’s side.

 

“Are you getting sick? We still have some cold medicine in the cabinet. I can grab it.” Bucky reaches a hand to press against Steve’s forehead to check his temperature. Instead Steve catches it in both his hands. They blink at each other in the dark of the room and Steve looks away first.

 

“M'not sick.” His voice is small when he speaks and Bucky feels lost. Steve let’s go of his hand and pulls the covers over his head. “Don’t worry about it, Buck.”

 

But Bucky can’t. He can’t just let it go. Steve is hurting and Bucky is his best friend so they’ve got to talk about it. He wrestles the blanket from Steve’s grasp and sits on the edge of his bed.

 

“Talk to me.” It’s not a command but it feels wrong all the same. “Please.”

 

Steve’s hands are back, but this time he is holding Bucky’s face between them. His blue eyes are fierce even in the near black of the night. “I’m sorry. You deserve better than being stuck here with me.”

 

The words break his heart. Bucky yanks Steve against him in a crushing hug and shushes his attempt to talk anymore. Bucky hugs him until Steve goes lax in his arms and only then does he lean back and look at him.

 

“I’m not stuck anywhere, punk. This is right where I want to be.” He smiles and it almost hurts to keep from saying ‘with you.’ Steve looks ready to argue and there is no way to avoid a lengthy fight on this topic once he gets going. Bucky steels his nerves and bites the fucking bullet.

 

He leans close, closer than he’s ever gotten to Steve’s face and he can make out the barely there freckles on the other man’s cheeks. Steve is wide-eyed and Bucky thinks one wrong move will send him running like a rabbit. Bucky can’t stop now though. He cups Steve’s face in his hands, like his friend had done before, but there is more to it. He traces the soft curve of Steve’s lower lip with his thumb and Bucky is terrified of what might happen.

 

Bucky kisses the same way he cooks, slow and careful. Steve is awful still in his hands and Bucky counts down the seconds as he waits for Steve to crack him in the face. The punch never comes though. Steve shuts his eyes and his fingers grip Bucky’s shirt to keep him from moving away. He kisses back, hesitant and sweet and Bucky melts.

 


End file.
